Self-leveling motor mount assembly for grain conveyers and the like



Jan. 22, 1952 H. BOBROWSKI 2,583,082

SELF-LEVELING MOTOR MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR GRAIN CONVEYERS AND THE LIKE 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 1 Filed NOV. 15 1950 INVENTORI HENRY BOBROWSKl VKJHISATTY'S Jan. 22, 1952 BOBROWSKI "2,583,082

H. SELF-LEVELING MOTOR MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR GRAIN CONVEYERS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 13 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR: I HENRY BOBRQWSKI HISATTY'S Patented Jan. 22, 1952 SELF-LEVELING MOTOR MOUNT ASSEMBLY FOR GRAIN CONVEYERS AND THE LIKE Henry Bobrowski, Morris, Manitoba, Canada Application November 13, 1950, Serial No. 195,212

3 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in self-levelling motor mount assemblies for grain conveyors that are adjustable for height of delivery, an object of my inventime. being to provide a device of the character herewithin described whereby the motor mount for the source of power for driving said grain conveyor remains horizontal at all times irrespective of the angle of inclination of the conveyor itself.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described in which the motor mount assembly is. always the same height from the ground, an important consideration when dealingwith loaders capable of relatively high elevation in the neighborhood of thirty feet. l

A still further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which includes means upon. said mount whereby the tension of the. belt extending between the motorand the grain conveyor may be varied.

Yet another object-of my invention in conjunction to the foregoing object is to provide .a device of the character herewithin described whereby the belt tension may be slackened for ease of starting of the motor.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is extremely simple in operation,

economical in manufacture. and otherwise well suited for the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, anclsuch other objects and advantages. as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to whichthis invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of my device upon a grain conveyor.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of my device in position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of Figure 2.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the diilerent figuresv Considerable difilculty has been experienced in the past in providing an efilcient motor mount for portable grain conveyors having a self-contained source of power inasmuch as when the conveyors are adjusted for different angles and heights of delivery, the motor mount requires levelling in order that the motor supported thereby may function efficiently. The motor mount hereinafter to be described overcomes this dimculty inasmuch as it remains substantially horizontal at all times and furthermore, includes a simple means for adjusting the tension of the belt extending between the motor and the conveyor in order that ease of starting may be obtained.

Proceeding now to describe my invention in detail, it will be seen upon reference to Figure 1 of the accompanyin drawings that I have illustrated an elevating conveyor housing I containing a screw-type conveyor 2 which is actuated via shaft 3 mounted upon the upper side of thehousing I in the conventional manner.

The housing is supported upon a pair of ground engaging wheels l which arev journalled for rotation upon an axle shaft 5 mountedwithin what I define as a transverse spanning member 6 which, in this embodiment, is manufactured from channel iron. A pair of jackkniflng arms I and 8 extend divergently upward from the transverse spanning member 6, the latter of said arms being welded to the transverse spanning member at the lower end thereof, the upper end of said arms being pivotally connected to the underside of said housing.

The former jackknifing member 1 is pivotally connected to said transverse spannin member 6 via lugs 9, the upper end of said arms slideably engaging a track l0 secured to the underside of the housing I.

A winch and cable assembly collectively designated II is secured to the arms 1, the cable passing around a sheave 12 secured to the underside of the housing I and then around a further sheave l3 secured towards the outer end of arm '5 from whence the cable then passes to a fixed anchoring point [4 as clearly illustrated.

From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that rotation of the crank II, the cable ll" may be shortened or lengthened thus causing the arm "i to slide down the track It towards the anchoring point 14 which thereby closes the arms I and 8 together thus raising the conveyor.

Conversely, lengthening of the cable II causes the conveyor housing 1 to lower with relation to the ground, the arms T and 8 spreading apart.

My novel motor mount assembly collectively designated i5 comprises a substantially rectangular framework H5, one end i? of which is supported upon a shaft is which is journalled for partial rotation within a pair of supporting brackets l3 upstanding from the aforementioned transverse spanning member 6.

A flexible cable 28 is secured at one end thereof to the opposite end 2! of the framework IB and extends over a sheave pulley 22 secured to the aforementioned jackknifing arm 8 substantially above the motor mount assembly 16. Cable 28 then extends to a fixed anchoring point 23 upon the other jackknifing arm i thus causing the cable 29 to form two sides of a hypothetical triangle.

A motor supporting platform 24 is mounted upon the framework 15 by means of lugs 25 engaging the underside of flanges 25, said platform being capable of longitudinal sliding movement upon the framework 56 by means of a crank assembly 21 secured to the rear 28 of the platform and being screw-threadedly engageable with a supporting bracket 29 upstanding from tube 33 which surrounds the aforementioned spindle l8.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that rotation of the crank 21 will cause the platform 24 to move lengthwise along the framework it.

A source of power in the form of a motor 3| is bolted or otherwise secured to the platform 24 and a belt 32 extends from the motor to the driving pulley 33 of the conveyor. Therefore, longitudinal movement of the platform 24 as hereinbefore described will cause the belt 32 to slacken or tighten as desired and this is of particular importance when it is desired to start the motor 3| under which circumstances, the belt 32 may be slackened in order to release the load of the conveyor from the motor at this time.

In operation, the jackknifing arms I and 3 are adjusted by the crank II as hereinbefore described and, due to the sheave 22 describing an arc of a circle around the point of attachment of the arm 8 to the transverse spanning member 6, the effective length of cable 23 is varied thus permitting the motor mount assembly I to remain substantially horizontal at all times.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same -made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is: 1. In a grain conveyor including a conveyor housing, a pair of jackknifing supporting members therefor and a common lower transverse spanning member for said jackknifing members, and a motor and belt for driving said conveyor; a self-levelling motor mount assembly, comprising in combination, a framework pivoted at one end thereof to said transverse spanning member,

flexible cable supporting means extending from the opposite end of said framework to one of said jackknifing members, said cable means being slideably engageable with sheave means on the other of said jackknifing members, said sheave means moving in an arc of a circle about the point of connection of said member with said transverse spanning member thereby varying the effective length of said flexible cable means to maintain said framework in a substantially horizontal position.

2. The device according to claim 1 which includes a motor supporting platform upon said framework and means to adjust said platform lengthways with respect to said framework for adjusting the tension of said belt.

3. In a grain conveyor including a conveyor and housing, a pair of jackknifing supporting members therefor, a common lower transverse spanning member for said jackknifing members, and a motor and belt for driving said conveyor; a self-levelling motor mount assembly, said assembly comprising in combination a substantially rectangular framework, a pair of supporting brackets upstanding from said transverse spanning member, one end of said framework being pivoted between the upper ends of said supporting brackets, a flexible cable secured to the opposite end of said framework and extending over a sheave mounted for rotation upon one of said jackknifing members substantially above said framework, the opposite end of said cable being secured to the other of said jackknifing members, said sheave moving in an arc of a circle about the point of connection of said jackknifing member to said transverse spanning member when said jackknifing members are actuated thereby varying the effective length of said flexible cable to maintain said framework in a substantially horizontal position, a motor supporting platform slideably mounted for longitudinal movement upon said framework, and crank means to adjust the position of said platform upon said framework in order to vary the tension of said belt.

HENRY BOBROWSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,528,917 Slocum Nov. '7, 1950 2,558,006 Shriver June 26, 1951 

